Man, this is long overdue! For the last few days, President Biden has been taking a total ration of shit in the media in briefings about what he is planning to do for US citizens and Afghan translators who are not in direct proximity to the Kabul airport, and who may be subject to Taliban refusal at check points out of Afghanistan. And now, tonight, we finally have the answer. Everything.
NBC News reported tonight that a Marine Chinook helicopter had made a short trip to pick up 169 Americans from a safe location, back to the airport, and bring them back to the airport. The the AP confirmed that another marine helicopter had gone off the reservation to pick up a load of Afghan civilians, mostly women and children, from a secure location back to the airport. Most importantly, the administration came out and admitted that the program had been proceeding under the radar for almost a week.
This changes the whole paradigm of the operation. The US military has been in almost constant contact with Taliban commanders since the start, providing them with valid forms of ID for US citizens and refugees to use, and warning of swift repercussions if if US forces come under hostile fire. I find it inconceivable that the US military on the ground had not warned the Taliban that the helicopters would be in the air, and interference in their humanitarian missions would bring swift reprisals.
The British and French have already sent out multiple armed convoys to scoop up nationals and qualified Afghan supporters, it was impossible to believe that the US military would not take similar measures. But the admission shows that the military is no longer confining itself to simply securing the airport, but actively seeking qualified refugees to get them to safety.
This information opens up a whole new world of possibilities. The Taliban wants us out of Afghanistan more than they want anything else on earth. And if the military advises the Taliban of their upcoming intentions, I find it highly unlikely that the Taliban would interfere. The problem is that there is a central disconnect between the main Taliban commanders that the US forces are dealing with, and the local forces on the ground, which are mainly local militias, which don’t necessarily take orders well.
As with any combat operation, the way forward is fraught with peril. But the media has been hammering Biden over he issue of Afghan translators outside of the reach of the Kabul airport, and with this new information, it is clear that Biden intends to do everything in his power to leave no man behind. And you can’t honestly ask more than that.
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Thank you for some good news! Up until now, it looked pretty grim.
I still wish Biden would hit the media back with “This mess is ALL because of Trump and Pompeo’s DIRECT NEGOTIATIONS with the Taliban last year and with ZERO input from the LEGITIMATE government of Afghanistan.”
The media have been failing to hit this note, time and time again. They keep letting the GOP set the tone (on Friday’s NBC Nightly News, Miss Lindsey was blathering–UNINTERRUPTED–about how Biden had failed) with zero pushback on these pearl-clutching GOPers. Notably not a one of them is being asked if Trump and Pompeo had spoken with any GOP members of Congress before the negotiations, not a one of them is being asked how they think Trump would be handling things differently, not a one of them is being asked if things would’ve been any different had the original target date not been extended.
But, the media are doing just as they’ve done any time a Democrat has been in the White House and the Democrats have been in charge of Congress–talk to GOPers and, as often as possible, let the GOPer have the last word.
You hit the nail on the head. First place, Democrats understand what it means when told not to talk about missions and security. With trump we would have known from the start of this and it probably would have been screwed up. And second trump and pompeo screwed this up from the start. And excuse me but I’m a little confused here. Dumb and dumber were talking to the taliban about US exit strategy. I’ve been thinking about this for awhile. Isn’t the taliban on the other side here. This has kept nagging at me. Why aren’t they talking to the Afghan leaders about exiting. And second since the taliban is the enemy wouldn’t that make dumb and dumber traitors. Just saying talking to the enemy about strategy would be considered treason.
Thank you for this news. It’s important to get the truth out.
Really good news Murf, but it only takes one of those field, trigger-happy Taliban to create a blood bath, we all should send our thanks to Biden and the military who ARE doing their jobs.
The Republicans should just sit down and STFU about Biden and his Admin … it is so stupid to belittle our fragile process in Kabul now, just because of their huge failure with Trump in the WH.
The media only reacts to drama. If it’s not real enough they will beat the drum for ratings. Remembering it was all the free coverage on lies & bullcrap that helped Trump in the first place.
Maybe we can get them to let everyone out who wants out, and to accept our misfits, AKA Y’all Qaeda/Vanilla ISIS.
Too funny, PJ!
A consummation devoutly to be wished. (And too good to be possible.)
Definitely, if only. Supposedly the Loud Bois are having one of their stupid events in Portland tomorrow. If we could only load them up in a helicopter, fly them over and drop them off (and I DO mean drop!) with their Taliban brethern. Those pissant white boys would be messin’ themselves when they got into a real situation with real warriors instead of these bully demos they like to put on against unarmed, civil people.